The present invention is directed generally to harnesses for dog guides used to assist blind persons and more particularly to providing such dog guide harnesses with an adjustable multi-position handle assembly to reduce the strain on a blind person""s hand, wrist, arm and shoulder and to facilitate the operative interrelation with a dog guide by such blind person.
For many years now, dogs have been trained to enhance the independence, dignity and self-confidence of blind persons. These animals effectively serve as a blind person""s eyes and as such accompany that person nearly everywhere they go. In order to accomplish this, the dog must not only be well-trained but also must be properly equipped with a generally rigid, sensitive enabling harness and handle assembly so the dog guide can convey signals for guiding the blind person, to enable the blind person and the dog guide to work together as a team. Rigidity of the handle attachment is important because it enables the blind person and the dog guide to receive prompt, efficient feedback from each other.
In the prior art the dog guide harnesses have connecting harness frames for attaching the harnesses to a given dog guide and generally one-piece rigid handles which are disposed transversely of the longitudinal line of the dog guide. These rigid handles have a predetermined length and extend from the harnesses as mounted on a given dog guide so that a blind person can simply reach out and grasp the handle in order to establish communication with the given dog guide.
One of the problems with these prior art harnesses and their rigid, transversely disposed handles is that they require the user to maintain their hand, wrist and arm position in a xe2x80x9cknuckle-forwardxe2x80x9d position. This has been found to be a somewhat uncomfortable position and eventually over time creates shoulder problems, including arthritis, for some of those persons who utilize and rely on their dog guides on a daily basis.
Accordingly, it is desirable to create a dog guide harness with a handle assembly generally rigidly connected thereto which also permits an alternate type of gripping arrangement to enable the user of the dog guide harness to grasp the handle so that the hand, wrist and arm are in a xe2x80x9cknuckle-sidewaysxe2x80x9d position, without sacrificing sensitivity required for effective dog guide usage.
Additionally, as in the existing prior art dog guide harnesses, the dog guide harness must also be compact, since dog guides typically accompany their owners in small, cramped spaces such as buses, subway cars, airplanes, restaurants, etc. In this situation, the dogs often must sit under the seat near the owner. Thus, the dog guide harness must still be capable of maintaining a low profile.
The present invention provides an improved dog guide harness which solves the prior art hand, wrist and arm position problem without sacrificing the necessary rigidity between the handle and the harness frame and simultaneously maintains the compactness required for such dog guide harnesses. Thus, in accordance with multiple aspects of the present invention, this is accomplished by providing a dog guide harness having a harness frame with a handle assembly so fixedly connected to the harness frame of the dog guide harness that it can be pivoted along the longitudinal line of the harness frame and dog guide harness and alternatively and selectively disposed in at least two positions, the first transverse to the longitudinal line of the harness frame and dog guide so the hand can be in a xe2x80x9cknuckle-forwardxe2x80x9d position, and the second in generally parallel alignment with the longitudinal line of the harness frame or dog guide so the hand may be in a xe2x80x9cknuckle-sidewisexe2x80x9d position.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dog guide harness, comprising, a harness frame, a handle assembly including, a self-locking linking means that fixedly, pivotally and rotatably connects the handle assembly to the harness frame. Consistent with this aspect, both the handle assembly and harness frame in assembled position are generally rigid, but the handle assembly can be pivoted a limited amount relative the harness frame and the dog guide harness to obtain the most convenient and comfortable position for the hand, wrist and arm of the blind person using the dog guide.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a handle assembly generally rigidly and pivotally connected to the harness frame of a dog guide harness for limited movement along the longitudinal line of the harness frame and the dog guide harness.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a handle assembly generally rigidly and pivotally connected to the harness frame of a dog guide harness, including an operatively associated stop means for limiting movement of the handle assembly along the longitudinal line of the harness frame and the dog guide harness.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a handle assembly generally rigidly connected to the harness frame for a dog guide harness having a self-locking linking means for alternatively and selectively rotating the handle assembly from a position transverse to the longitudinal line of the harness frame and dog guide harness to any of a plurality of positions including one where the handle assembly is generally parallel or in alignment with the longitudinal line of the harness frame and dog guide harness.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a self-locking linking means for generally connecting the handle assembly rigidly, pivotally and rotatably to the harness frame of a dog guide harness which includes, a sized tubular socket or joint having a predetermined internal geometric shape on at least one end, an elongated coacting rod-like or jackshaft member having a mating geometric-shaped means at one end slidably and rotatably mounted in the tubular socket or joint, and said coacting rod-like member or jackshaft end opposite from the mating geometric-shaped end means fixedly connected to the U-shaped handle support and the handle member of the handle assembly, so that resilient means operatively connected between the tubular socket or joint and the elongated rod-like member or jackshaft will normally maintain the self-locking linking means in engaged position and disposed to enable the rod-like member to be moved to a disengaged position so the elongated rod-like member can be changed to a new engaged position with the internal geometric-shaped end in the tubular socket or joint of the self-locking linking means.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a safety assembly to prevent the coacting elements of the linking means for connecting the handle assembly to the harness frame from disengaging from each other inadvertently or accidentally during use of the dog guide harness, in accordance with the present invention.